Hybrid heater core system

ABSTRACT

A hybrid heater core system may include a heater core body having an upper header; a lower header; and a plurality of cooling water tubes connecting the upper and lower headers; and a PTC heater coupled to the heater core body and having a PTC element; a flow path hole forming a flow path in the PTC heater; a connector formed at a first end of the PTC heater; locking protrusions configured to be locked to the upper and lower headers at upper end and lower end thereof; and a hook locked and fixed to the cooling water tubes at a second end of the PTC heater.

CROSS-REFERENCE(S) TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority of Korean Patent Application Number 10-2013-0160609 filed on Dec. 20, 2013, the entire contents of which application is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hybrid heater core system capable of integrating a heater core and a PTC heater of the related art by simply fastening and assembling these elements, and maximizing heating performance through optimization of a structure.

2. Description of Related Art

For effective response of the heating performance, in the case of the related art, a heater core and a PTC heater that use cooling water of an engine have been used at the same time. Therefore, in the related art, separate PTC heaters have been provided in front of the heater core so as to be continuously arranged through a separate fixing structure.

However, since such a structure of the related art has difficulties, such as a difficulty of assembling and a necessity to integrate the separate components into one air flow path, there have been problems such as a difficulty of assembling, expensive manufacturing costs, and a flow loss due to non-continuous air flow path.

The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Various aspects of the present invention are directed to providing a hybrid heater core system which is capable of integrating a heater core and a PTC heater of the related art by simply fastening and assembling these elements, and maximizing the heating performance through the optimization of a structure.

In an aspect of the present invention, a hybrid heater core system may include a heater core including an upper header, a lower header, and a plurality of cooling water tubes connecting the upper and lower headers, and a PTC heater coupled to the heater core body and including a PTC element, a flow path hole forming a flow path in the PTC heater, a connector formed at a first end of the PTC heater, locking protrusions configured to be locked to the upper and lower headers at upper end and lower end thereof, and a hook locked and fixed to the cooling water tubes at a second end of the PTC heater.

The hybrid heater core system may further include protruding rails formed below the upper header and above the lower header, vertically extending locking legs formed on an upper end and a lower end of the PTC heater, respectively, and a locking protrusion formed at an end portion of the locking legs, wherein the locking protrusion restricts upper and lower ends of the protruding rails while the locking legs cover the protruding rails.

The cooling water tubes are formed with protrusion ribs at side ends thereof, wherein fastening protrusions wrapping around one of the protrusion ribs are formed on a connector side of the PTC heater, and wherein the hook of the PTC heater is configured to wrap around the one of the protrusion ribs.

The PTC heater may include a top plate, a bottom plate, and the PTC element interposed between the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein the top plate and the bottom plate are formed with first and second flow path holes therethrough, and wherein in the first and second flow path holes of the top plate and the bottom plate, guide ribs are be formed by being bent in directions facing each other.

The PTC element is positioned at a point between the first and second flow path holes adjacent to each other, and both side ends of the PTC element are supported by the guide ribs.

The PTC element is connected to a positive electrode via the connector, and the top plate and the bottom plate perform a negative electrode.

The PTC heater is attached to one side surface of the heater core and fastened via the hook.

According to the hybrid heater core system having a structure as described above, it is possible to integrate the heater core and the PTC heater of the prior art by easily fastening and assembling these elements, and it is possible to maximize the heating performance through the optimization of a structure.

Further, weight and cost are reduced by the integrated structure, flow resistance is reduced by forming a continuous flow path, and thus, the heating efficiency is maximized.

The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a hybrid heater core system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hybrid heater core system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 3 to 5 are views showing the coupling structure of the hybrid heater core system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a PTC heater of the hybrid heater core system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view showing the electrical connection of the PTC heater of the hybrid heater core system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment.

In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that the present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described hereafter in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a hybrid heater core system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hybrid heater core system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 3 to 5 are views showing the coupling structure of the hybrid heater core system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a view showing the PTC heater of the hybrid heater core system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a view showing the electrical connection of the PTC heater of the hybrid heater core system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The hybrid heater core system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is intended to easily assemble and constitute the existing heater core and an additionally installed PTC heater as an integrated element, and is provided with a heater core body 100 that includes an upper header 120, a lower header 140, and a plurality of cooling water tubes 160 for connecting the upper and lower headers 120 and 140.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the hybrid heater core system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hybrid heater core system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and a PTC heater is fastened to a heater core body. The PTC heater 200 is equipped with a PTC element 203 and is formed with flow path holes 200A that form a flow path similar to the cooling water tubes 160. Therefore, since one common air flow path is provided at the time of heating, the flow resistance is minimized.

In addition, a connector 220 is provided at a left end such that electricity can be supplied. Moreover, locking protrusions 240 locked to the upper header 120 and the lower header 140 are formed at the upper and lower ends. Accordingly, locking the upper end and the lower end to the heater core body 100 allows an assembly posture to stably keep, thereby keeping the durability strong against the flow. Furthermore, since a hook 260 fixed by being locked to the cooling water tube 160 is formed at a right end, the heater core system can be simply assembled in a one-touch manner.

Specifically, FIG. 3 is a view showing a locking protrusion 240, and a protruding rail 142 is formed below the upper header 120 and above the lower header 140. Moreover, locking legs 242 which extend vertically are formed at the upper end and the lower end of the PTC heater 200, respectively, and the locking protrusion 240 is formed at the end portion of the locking leg 242. In addition, the locking protrusions 240 are assembled so as to restrict the upper and lower ends of the rail 142 while the locking legs 242 cover the rail 142.

That is, the PTC heater 200 is temporarily assembled to the heater core body 100 via the locking protrusion 240 and is finally fastened through the hooks 260. After fastening, a configuration capable of keeping the assembly position from the flow in the vertical direction is provided.

Furthermore, FIG. 5 shows fastening projections 222, and the cooling′ water tube 160 of the heater core body 100 is formed with protrusion ribs 162 at the side end. Moreover, fastening protrusions 222 wrapping around the protrusion ribs 162 of the cooling water tube 160 disposed on the leftmost side are formed on the connector 220 side of the PTC heater 200, and the hooks 260 of the PTC heater 200 can be fastened by a structure wrapping around the protrusion ribs 162′ of the cooling water tube 160 positioned on the rightmost side, as shown in FIG. 4.

Meanwhile, FIG. 6 is a view showing the PTC heater of the hybrid heater core system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a view showing the electrical connection of the PTC heater of the hybrid heater core system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 6, the PTC heater (200) is configured to include a top plate 201, a bottom plate 202, and a PTC element 203 interposed therebetween, flow path holes 200A are formed to pass through the top plate 201 and the bottom plate 202, and guide ribs 201A and 202A can be formed by being bent in the flow path holes 200A of the top plate 201 and the bottom plate 202 in directions facing each other. Therefore, the PTC element (203) can be located at a point between the flow path holes 200A adjacent to each other, and both side ends can be supported by the guide ribs 201A and 202A.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 7, the PTC element can be connected to a positive electrode via the connector 220, and the top plate and the bottom plate can perform the role of a negative electrode. That is, the positive electrode of the PTC element is connected via the connector 220, a terminal (L) is disposed along the PTC element, and the positive electrode is connected via the terminal. Moreover, since the entire top plate and bottom plate form a negative electrode, a configuration of an internal circuit is simplified. Of course, in case where the terminal is disposed between the top plate and the PTC element 203, an insulator will be interposed and insulated between the terminal and the top plate. According to the hybrid heater core system having a structure as described above, it is possible to integrate the heater core and the PTC heater of the prior art by simply fastening and assembling these elements, and it is possible to maximize the heating performance through the optimization of a structure.

Further, weight and cost are reduced by the integrated structure, flow resistance is reduced by forming a continuous flow path, and thus the heating efficiency is maximized.

For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “inner” and “outer” are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in the figures.

The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A hybrid heater core system comprising: a heater core body including: an upper header; a lower header; and a plurality of cooling water tubes connecting the upper and lower headers; and a PTC heater coupled to the heater core body and including: a PTC element; a flow path hole forming a flow path in the PTC heater; a connector formed at a first end of the PTC heater; locking protrusions configured to be locked to the upper and lower headers at upper end and lower end thereof; and a hook locked and fixed to the cooling water tubes at a second end of the PTC heater.
 2. The hybrid heater core system of claim 1, further including: protruding rails formed below the upper header and above the lower header; vertically extending locking legs formed on an upper end and a lower end of the PTC heater, respectively; and a locking protrusion formed at an end portion of the locking legs, wherein the locking protrusion restricts upper and lower ends of the protruding rails while the locking legs cover the protruding rails.
 3. The hybrid heater core system of claim 1, wherein the cooling water tubes are formed with protrusion ribs at side ends thereof, wherein fastening protrusions wrapping around one of the protrusion ribs are formed on a connector side of the PTC heater, and wherein the hook of the PTC heater is configured to wrap around the one of the protrusion ribs.
 4. The hybrid heater core system of claim 1, wherein the PTC heater includes: a top plate; a bottom plate; and the PTC element interposed between the top plate and the bottom plate; wherein the top plate and the bottom plate are formed with first and second flow path holes therethrough, and wherein in the first and second flow path holes of the top plate and the bottom plate, guide ribs are be formed by being bent in directions facing each other.
 5. The hybrid heater core system of claim 4, wherein the PTC element is positioned at a point between the first and second flow path holes adjacent to each other, and both side ends of the PTC element are supported by the guide ribs.
 6. The hybrid heater core system of claim 1, wherein the PTC element is connected to a positive electrode via the connector, and the top plate and the bottom plate perform a negative electrode.
 7. The hybrid heater core system of claim 1, wherein the PTC heater is attached to one side surface of the heater core and fastened via the hook. 